Patxi del Amo

Patxi was born in 1974 in Pamplona (Spain), where he started singing in choirs and playing the cello. After moving to Cardiff and discovering what fun one can have scratching away on gut strings, he took up the viola da gamba, graduated with distinction from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, pursued postgraduate Early Music studies at Trinity College of Music, and obtained a PhD in musicology from the University of Leeds. During the course of his studies he was fortunate to come into contact with music educatonalists Jane Cutler and David Vinden (British Kodaly Academy), which opened up an endlessly fascinating and highly rewarding career path.

Patxi is vice-principal of the DaCapo Foundation, and co-directs its Flagship Music Centre. He teaches DaCapo music at partner schools Chapel End Junior and Wessex Gardens Primary, and his work for the foundation frequently includes school workshops and teacher-training events. In addition Patxi has been visiting professor of Early Music at the Joaquín Maya School of Music (Spain) and visiting tutor with NEEMF and the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain.

Alongside his educational work, Patxi has performed all over Europe and the US as a member of specialist ensembles such as The Musicians of Shakespeare’s Globe, The New London Consort, Ensemble Durendal, Sweelinck Ensemble, Sociall Musick, La Sfera Musicale and Passemezzo. He has recorded for BBC Radio3, Paradisum Records and ASV-Gaudeamus, has given lectures at the universities of Leeds and Cambridge, and has published articles in the Viola da Gamba Society Journal, of which he has also been a guest editor.

Patxi lives in North London with his wife Kate and son Daniel. He loves reading, swimming, snorkelling and cooking. He is also a keen amateur sackbut player!